DANE AND JULIE COLBY – Hennepin, Illinois – 12th March 2010

Dane and Julie Colby, of Hennepin, Illinois beat the 1 in 175 million odds and won the Mega Millions jackpot reward of $20 million on 12th March 2010. Their lucky Mega Millions numbers were 2, 15, 25, 48, 53, and the Mega Ball 41.

JOKE?

Dane Colby bought his winning ticket from the Hennepin Food Market, Peoria, Illinnois, which is only a few doors away from his home. According to the store owner, Anton Dzierzynski, the Mega Millions winner bought a quick pick. On Saturday 13th March 2010, Dane carefully checked his numbers against the Mega Millions jackpot numbers which were printed in the local newspaper. A neighbour said he started crying when he realised that he had the lucky Mega Millions numbers and was a jackpot winner.

Colby says he started shaking uncontrollably and told his wife of their Mega Millions reward. Julie Colby did not believe him, as he had played that trick before. “When he first told me, I thought he was kidding, because he had done that to me before.”

BREAKFAST AS USUAL

Dane immediately went to Hennepin Food Market to check that his Mega Millions lottery Quick Pick was indeed the top prize winner. The Colby’s then did what they often did on a Saturday morning, and went to a local restaurant with their two children and had breakfast. Everyone in the restaurant was talking about the fact that the Illinois Mega Millions jackpot winner bought their ticket at Hennepin Food Market.

It’s a small town of only 800 people, so word eventually got out, even though Dane waited a month before coming forward with his winning Mega Millions Quick Pick ticket. He has always lived in Hennepin and works at a local power plant. Colby says they plan to stay in the same house for the moment. Colby’s wife, Julie, is a teacher at Hall High School in Spring Valley, where she teaches maths. Neither of the Colby’s intend on giving up work and are intent on investing their Mega Millions reward money for their family’s future. “I want this to be a legacy for my children and hopefully their children.”

CASH PAYOUT

Dane Colby has opted to take the cash payout of $12.8 million before taxes rather than the annuity of $770,000 per annum for 26 years.

When the Pastor of the local Methodist Church in Hennepin announced that Dane Colby was the man with the lucky Mega Millions numbers, the congregation cheered and a prayer of thanks was said on the Colby’s behalf.

DISNEYWORLD

The Colby family are planning to take their children to Disneyworld for a holiday, but this was planned before they became Illinois Mega Millions jackpot winners.

After a month of planning and discussing their options with lawyers and financial advisers, Dane does not even plan to buy a new car, he just wants life to stay the same and know that his children and future generations will have financial security.

HENNEPIN FOOD MARKET

The owner of Hennepin Food Market, Anton Dzierzynski will receive $200,000 for selling the winning Mega Millions lottery Quick Pick ticket. He said since Dane Colby became a Mega Millions winner, lottery ticket sales have doubled at his store and his other takings were up by 25%.

Dzierzynski said of the $200,000, “I’m going to put it back into improvements in the store. We’re going to put it into scanning. We’re not scanning just yet, just different things to make the business better.”

Produce manager, Lorraine Boggio said, “We really don’t have a lot of big happenings here, so it is exciting. And it’s good for the town and good for the store, we’re happy about it.”

Another store employee, Wendy Elliott expressed delight, “It’s just so neat that somebody from our area has something good happening to them.”